


their galaxy

by ObsidianEagle



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Immortality Talk, M/M, Madzie is their adopted daughter, married Malec
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-24
Updated: 2018-03-24
Packaged: 2019-04-07 08:56:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14077362
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ObsidianEagle/pseuds/ObsidianEagle
Summary: The universe is bright and beautiful, but it's also full of mystery. Madzie, Magnus and Alec's adopted daughter finds it amazing, and she finds herself linking her parent's love for each other to those very stars.





	their galaxy

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ninwrites](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ninwrites/gifts).



> hello! a big happy birthday to [Nin!!](https://twitter.com/malteser_24) This is for you, I hope it's a lovely day because you deserve the world!! enjoy this little one shot! <3

_When you look up into the stars, what do you see?_

_I didn't see anything for a long time, Catarina._

_But now, what do you see?_

_Him, I see Alec._

_\--_

With his apartment doors in sight, Magnus feels all the weight from the day bleed from his bones. The collective strain of trying to keep a straight face in front of Shadowhunters that aren’t Alec is absolute hell. Some despise Magnus, and frankly, he despises them too.

Alec’s family came around to Magnus being in Alec’s life at different speeds. Maryse was the last to settle with this whole relationship thing, and it took an engagement ring on Alec’s finger to do so.

Maryse is probably their number one fan right now, as she’s learned that nothing makes her happier than seeing Alec smile. He’s more… Alec, as if Magnus was the missing piece all along. Magnus makes him feel safe, loved - but not in a _if I get cornered in a demon fight Magnus can cover his ass_ sort of safety.

It’s the bubble that stopped any sort of emotion sinking into him, caging in his own emotions to the point where it feels suffocating. Magnus was the first to break through that, to let him breathe and let him be who he wants to be.

And he’s been that for five years, married for three of them to the esteemed High Warlock of Brooklyn, Magnus Bane.

Alec has been the Institute’s leader for around four years, his anniversary of that promotion coming up in a few days.

He hasn’t planned anything yet, because Alec usually goes along with his day, deciding himself what to do. Alec isn’t really a man for fancy dress parties or self ageing wine tasting events, and Magnus found out that in the most _hilarious_ way.

The way his face seemed to drop every time he mentioned going to one, then returning to what Magnus would call an _awful_ rendition of an excited smile.

He’s cute, Magnus will give him that.

Because even if he hates those events, the long and awfully gossipy warlock parties, he’ll still go and stand tall. Be it he might take more interest in the free buffets, but he’ll have his arm linked with Magnus the whole way, supporting him in his endeavours.

As he walks through the door, Magnus shucks off his jacket, the black silk snaking down his arms and fluently hung on a hook in a sequenced dance. Even after a day of work and politics, his body still moves with the grace of a swan and the punch of a leopard.

The smell of freshly brewed tea is prominent as soon as he takes a breath, leading his eyes towards the kitchen as he moves a few steps forward.

And there he is, the man on his mind, pretty much always.

Alec stands facing the counter, both hands hugging the fresh mug of tea he just made. He’s staring out the window as snow falls, watching the delicate flakes link with others as the volume of snow over the ground increases. They’re almost like small ballet dancers, twirling through the air as they captivate him, wondering how nature could even create something as intricate when you live on the same planet as tornadoes and earthquakes.

There’s a balance, he guesses, and Alec sighs at the thought of how the world isn’t all that forgiving. Thankfully, Magnus has carried him through hell and back, and he likes to think he’s done the same. Not forgetting that Alec crashed his own first wedding to certainly bring shock to every person that saw or heard about it.

Oh boy, does he remember that day well.

Make way for what comes next, as no man or woman alive expects it. The hold of lapels, the concentrated frowns as the kiss takes hold of them.

An outsider's perspective, where people can hold opinions about what they see. Do they see it differently to the person standing next to them? Or do they agree, sharing the same enveloping feeling of what feels like relief? But how can they feel that when it’s not them?

Human biology perhaps, the satisfaction or jealousy of seeing other people happy. For the people who agree with what they see, some are jealous that they don’t have the fire that sparks from a kiss, or the hands that gently hold frame around a piece of art. Then the happiness, the smiles that grace their faces as they see two hearts finally become one.

Should they be jealous? Why, they could be, but Magnus and Alec don’t care.

There’s no reason they should be, because every piece of star they’re made from focused on that, holding each other and kissing in front of _everyone_ in the Institute.

Then came their own wedding, the smiles as Alec looked down the aisle, Catarina linked by an arm as Magnus made his way towards his future husband. The delicate blue of his suit, the gradually transparent cape that flowed behind him like water, it left Alec _speechless._

He remembers himself thinking _holy shit, I’m the luckiest man alive._

Or something like _I love that man, that’s my man._

And as Magnus walks into the kitchen on this present day, Alec turns to look at him as soon as he hears a footstep. There’s that same smile, the one that lifts one side of his face and crinklee his eyes. A smile he saw as Alec let out his hand, bringing him up to the stage at their wedding, the various gold and blue flowers that fall from the ceiling framing around the arch that they stood under.

“Hey,” Alec lowers his mug from his lips, Magnus smiling back as he approaches slowly, “you’re late tonight.”

“Mm,” Magnus grumbles, feeling slightly sour at the reminder, but not at all anymore as Alec places the mug down and meets him head on, “but fashionably late.”

Alec chuckles, closing his eyes as their lips meet in a lazy kiss, the drag of lips staying for more than once as Alec cups his face, one thumb under his eyes. The warmth of the coffee mug is still over the surface of his hands, comfortably warming Magnus’ cheeks from the brisk cold.

What he loves, is feeling that cold ring in contrast against his jaw, the golden ring inscribed with a wedding rune and Magnus’ name. In smaller writing, their main vow was inscribed around the inside of the ring, and Magnus as he is, made sure to make that ring a little magical.

Every time they touch, their rings will glow a little, sparkling more than any other items of jewellery they wear. And yes, over the years, Alec warmed up to one more ring besides his wedding ring, and a necklace Magnus bought him for his birthday. It’s a little stone held by a golden bird cage, the stone imbued with the memory of their wedding for Alec to re-live whenever he feels like doing so. The pendant is small, not bigger than one of his fingernails.

Magnus is wearing arrow earrings Alec bought him, as well as the angel wing necklace that sits just on the surface of his open chest. He remembers the way Alec blushed when explaining the present.

_Well, I am… your guardian angel, after all._

As they part, Alec soothes one hand over the side of his neck, about to speak when he hears the click of a familiar door.

Magnus and Alec both look to the noise, first seeing the drag of a plushies tail against the floor. It’s Madzie, her face a little frightened as she brings up the plushie to hug. Her little night gown is a light grey, light blue stars printed all over the fabric. The plushie she holds is a purple dragon, small white constellations of stars stitched over the wings and neck, following down to the tail. She’s had a fascination with stars for a while, and of course, Magnus spoilt her rotten with any star related thing she wanted - but with a reasonable cause. Magnus didn’t want to be given everything on a silver plate.

“Madzie?” Magnus speaks softly, not breaking from Alec’s touch as the fathers walk over to their adopted little warlock.

She was previously under Catarina’s care, and after some decision, the pair decided to adopt her and give her a permanent family home. Catarina wasn’t exactly ready to settle down, but she still sees the little bundle of energy often.

Alec kneels to her level, a gentle hand falling onto hers on the dragon.

“Did you have a nightmare?” Alec knows, the knowing look of subtle fear in her eyes, the way she holds the plushie closer than usual.

Her eyes speaks more than words sometimes, and as parents, Alec and Magnus have taken that task in hand, learning her gentle ways of telling things she doesn’t understand through simple gestures. This is one of them, with the unsure look towards the floor, holding her father’s hand and tugging gently as she’s doing right now to Alec.

Madzie wants to sleep, but her fear stops that.

Placing a hand on Alec’s shoulder, Magnus looks down to Madzie as she looks up, mumbling a yes to both of them.

He hated seeing her frightened to sleep, and Magnus wanted to remove the nightmares from her head at one point, but soon realised that would just be blinding her from the dangers of the world. Alec and Magnus want to protect her, to give her the best life they can, but making her forget about dangers will put her in even more danger when she finds the strength to mentally stand on her own two feet.

Growing up is scary, but Alec and Magnus are going to try their best to make it as smooth as they possibly can. They’re prepared for bumps in the road, as every life has, but collectively they’re happy at the family they’ve formed.

Alec never dreamed of accepting himself, he never dreamed of having a _family._

Magnus never hoped of having a love worth falling for, and he never hoped of having a child to call his own.

Now they both have what they wished for, the star they wished on falling directly into their hands.

Madzie almost shys away from admitting the nightmare, to which Alec pulls her into a hug.

“No need to be scared pumpkin, we’re here.” Alec places a soothing hand on her back, picking her up to sit on one of his arms, other arm hooked around her back.

She places her head into his neck, her loose arm still holding her little dragon as Alec turns to look at Magnus, rising back to his full height.

“I’ll get this one to bed, I’ll see you in a few minutes?”

“Of course,” Magnus pecks his cheek, running a hand through Madzie’s hair as she already seems to be falling back to sleep in Alec’s arms, “I’ll freshen up and then come to bed.”

Alec smiles warmly, giving a kiss back to Magnus’ nose, walking towards their bedroom shortly after. He wears baggy joggers and a rather loose black shirt, so it seems he was already heading to bed around the time Magnus was arriving home.

Magnus watches him walk away, a swell of happiness in his chest as his husband carries their daughter back to bed. What a man Alexander Gideon Lightwood is.

A hero, a husband, a leader, a warrior, a _best friend._

And as Alec looks back, he sees exactly the same, perhaps with a little more flare and intelligence compared to Alec’s years.

He still has to pop the question about immortality, and as each day passes by, it becomes harder and harder to ask, as well as a little easier.

Most of all, it’s just confusing. A pulse of pain inside his mind haunts him every time he goes to ask, his tongue failing at pronouncing any words.

He doesn’t need to think about that now, not when the sweet smile of Alec appears, Magnus catching it. His husband leans his head onto Madzie’s as he carries her, opening the door to their bedroom with the gentle push of his shoulder.

Magnus decides to bring Alec’s forgotten cup of tea to the bedside, Alec looking rather confused as he didn’t go freshen up, but the sight of his _father of the year award_ cup brightens his face.

He mumbles a thanks, sitting down and placing Madzie on his lap as she watches Magnus walk away.

“Magnus will be back soon, he’s just getting ready for bed.” Alec brings all of her hair around to the back of her head, separating it into two parts so he can platt her hair loosely for when she sleeps instead of her usual pigtails.

“Did Dad have a busy day at work?” She asks, her little voice rather tired, her small fingers playing with one of the wings of her dragon plushie.

“He did, but I’m happy he’s home now.” Alec’s hands have done this many times before, taught by Isabelle herself when she came over to visit Madzie for the first time.

“Me too. He’s very strong though, isn’t he?” Madzie turns her head, catching the smile on her father’s face.

“Yeah, he is,” extremely, if Alec was to add any more to that, “and so are you, just like your father.”

Her smile beams at him, her brown eyes meeting Alec’s hazels as he moves in, kissing her forehead gently. She soon turns again so the back of her head faces Alec, allowing him to continue plaiting her hair slowly. He may be dexterous and a skilled warrior, but when it comes to delicate things such as this, he’s going to take his time.

“You’re just as strong as daddy too, like, a guardian angel!”

Alec laughs, shaking his head towards the ceiling. Magnus must have told her, or she was catching on to his humorous ways.

“I am an angel, _your_ guardian angel.” Alec says, Madzie chuckling at that, her shoulders bouncing.

Moments like this between them are something Alec treasures. Isabelle herself said there was no brighter smile for Alec, that no smile could rival the one when he’s with Magnus and Madzie.

Madzie is a vital part of their life now, bringing the two lovers even closer than Magnus and Alec ever thought possible. She’s added a small purple ribbon to Alec’s bow, just on the top of the grip so she’s there with him in the midsts of battle. It’s imbued with a little magic to give him a barrier at close range. Magnus has a small purple bracelet she also made from magic, the ribbon protecting Magnus and giving him a little shield aswell. Her magic is incredibly complex for her age, and her dads are incredibly proud of Madzie for being so strong after what happened to her.

Alec was ready to punch his entire fist through Valentine's face when he found out about her, because who could do that to such an innocent soul?

All that is behind them now, replaced welcomingly with moments like this, Alec’s lamp on his side of the bed illuminating the room softly.

“There we go, how does that feel?” Alec ties the end with a small bobble, smiling from ear to ear as Madzie reaches back.

 _“Woah,”_ she sings, fascinated by the feel of bumps from the plat over the skin of her fingers, “thank you, Dad.”

She turns in his lap, Alec opening his arms so Madzie can fall into them, hugging her tight for a moment.

“I love you,” she plants a very quick kiss to Alec’s cheek, the swell of love blooming in his heart at those words, “and Magnus too!”

“I know you do, princess,” replies Magnus, walking into the bedroom as he buttons up the rest of his shirt, “and Alec does too.”

Madzie turns back to Alec, trying to confirm it even when she knows it’s already true.

He just smiles, chuckling to himself as he watches Magnus walk over, a hand reaching out to cup his face just under his chin. Magnus meets Alec’s lips, kissing him twice before they slowly break apart, the daze of love on their faces being understood by Madzie as she reaches up with her dragon, making the face kiss Alec’s cheek and then Magnus’.

“And you love each other!” her words are so innocent, so sweet that Magnus could melt as he coos at her, placing one hand on her cheek and softly brushing the skin under her eye with his thumb, “My dads are _so_ in love!”

She sings the words, the nightmare forgotten as her time with Alec and Magnus becomes more present.

As Magnus stands here, Alec’s face in one hand and Madzie’s in the other - it renders him speechless.

In one hand he holds the love of his life, the hazels that have seen so much pain and battled through years of internal hatred to end up _here_ \- married, a ring on his finger, an adopted child smiling up at them as she sits on his lap. The promise of a future, a bright star in his sky for many more years to come.

In the other hand, there’s Madzie. A fragile, small little heart that met with horrors. Now they’re gone, she can focus on being herself, that little bundle of energy and creativity that never fails to paint smiles on her father’s faces no matter the time of day - just like now.

How she says it, that Alec and Magnus are so in love, is like she wants the world to know. Madzie is so proud of their love and at her age, Alec even struggling at one point to understand how she could, but Magnus simply said that love is as natural as breathing. She may not understand it, but seeing two people like Magnus and Alec daily, how their smiles greet each other and the soft _good morning_ kisses, or _see you after work_ kisses, it’s enough to connect the dots.

“I love him very much,” Alec agrees with her statement, his face lifting smile one of pure happiness, “he’s one of the greatest moments of my life, my husband, my dream coming true.”

Magnus rolls his eyes at Alec’s sappy nature, his poetic tendencies to completely sweep Magnus of his feet time and time again.

“One?” Madzie inquires, patting Alec’s chest to get his attention as Magnus walks around to his side of the bed, getting in under the covers.

“Yes, one,” Alec removes a hand from the bed to hold Madzie’s hand, soothing a thumb over her palm, “because you, Madzie, are also an important part of my life. You’re mine and Magnus’ daughter. You’re our special little girl.”

She jumps into his arms again, Magnus smiling behind them, placing a hand onto Alec’s back and moving that hand soothingly up and down his spine. Having all three of them here, all peaceful and content, Alec would never dream of a better life.

He wouldn’t be able to dream a life where he didn’t walk down from the alter, where he didn’t let his heart win and kiss Magnus like he was the very oxygen he breathes. He can’t even think of a life without loving Magnus, where his every move makes him smile, where every kiss they have feels brand new. Their love sees no end, their love immortal even if Alec isn’t, because when he leaves this life, Magnus can never love a heart like he’s loved Alec’s.

Of course, he hasn’t told him that, but one day, maybe Alec’s star inside his chest will choose to burn forever.

“No more nightmares, not tonight, we promise,” Magnus pats the spot in the middle of the bed, “not while me and Alec are here, ok?”

Madzie told them a story once, that because Alec is an angel, he shines a light in her dreams to scare the monsters away. Magnus would be the person to protect her with a shield of glorious, fluttering blue magic if one demon was smart enough to break through. Both of her fathers were guardian angels in her eyes, especially Magnus during that one night where Valentine almost got his wish.

Hugging her dragon close, Magnus threads two fingers through her hair, Alec getting up and leaving the bedroom for one moment.

Madzie reaches out for the hand that runs through the top of her hair, pulling it down to eye level so she can let her fingers play with one of his rings. It’s his wedding ring, shining bright even under the dim illumination of Alec’s bedside table lamp.

“I like this ring,” she says, smiling at Magnus as they both have their heads on a pillow, “it’s really pretty, and warm.”

“Your father gave it to me on our wedding day,” Magnus taps the ring with his thumb, letting the engravings illuminate a little more, “can you read what it says?”

Madzie nods, having learnt warlock lettering during the time she spent at Catarina’s.

“It says dad’s name, then it says that he will love you forever even when the world stops turning, even when the last star in the sky will stop burning,” she looks a little shocked, “can that really happen?”

“Not for a very, _very_ long time my dear. Even I can’t comprehend the number of years,” Magnus can hear Alec walking back, his heavy, exhausted footsteps padding back to their bedroom, “trust me, your father is…”

Wait, maybe that was his answer?

The ring, it was the answer to the immortality question all these years. Magnus wasn’t the only one afraid to ask, it seems.

Alec walks in, looking a little confused as Magnus looks shocked.

“What happened?” Alec can see Madzie holding his hand, fingers gently turning the ring around his finger as she reads the words over and over again.

“Alec, when you said you wanted to spend the rest of your life with me, did you mean forever?”

Magnus drops the question, and Alec feels needles prick his skin from nerves. Does Magnus want this?

It feels like their proposal all over again, where Alec turned around and handed him a little black box out of nowhere, doing it at exactly the same time as Magnus dropped to one knee with his own little black box.

Their smiles said their yes for them, spending their night in bed for what seemed like hours after that, promising a future full of holidays, smiles, laughter, and at some point maybe even a family.

And here they are now, where two hearts don’t falter in their beats, but one struggles from day to day as the clock ticks down.

Alec walks to the bed, handing Madzie her galaxy stone as she reaches out for it, giving it to her little dragon so it illuminates the room.

“Yeah,” his words are shaky, standing at the edge of the bed, looking down to Magnus as he sees the moisture pool in his eyes, “I just, don’t know if I’m ready.”

They’ll have to talk about this properly in the morning, but Magnus almost sobs at the thought of someone _wanting_ to spend an immortal life with him. There are multiple ways Alec can live by his side for as long as forever means, but right now he just needs to sleep.

Alec gets into bed, pulling the cover over his waist as the room goes black from the stone. A few seconds later, a real time video of the galaxy is projected around their room, Madzie looking up in awe as she watches the stars slowly shift.

Madzie soon sees her adopted parents looking at each other, moving to the edge of the bed to see how the stars have changed since last night.

Magnus moves closer, placing a hand to cup Alec’s cheek and kiss him softly. Their lips don’t break until Alec musters the courage to speak.

“I’ll live a forever with you, but only if you’ll allow me.”

Stars reflect in their eyes, the purple, pinks and blues of the galaxies and nebulas above them painted onto their skin.

“This is something you need to decide, not me. This is your life Alexander, not mine.” He smiles as Alec does, Magnus moving his hand to stroke through his hair and mess up those ebony locks.

“I know, and my life is now with you,” Alec can see the moment Magnus’ heart skips a beat, the little sob that breaks through his teeth as one tear falls down the side of his face, “I’ll love you forever, Magnus Bane.”

Their hands join, their rings glowing like two connected butterfly wings, golden in colour as the stars that shine above don’t stand a chance against their love.

Madzie smiles at them from the foot of their bed, their forehead connected as they breathe each other in.

Giving them another minute, Magnus moves back when she crawls up the bed again, sinking under the sheets as she hugs her dragon close. Magnus kisses her forehead goodnight, and Alec dims the intensity of her galaxy stone by moving his finger down the side.

It was a present on her first birthday with Alec and Magnus. She found it during a walk to the local park, showing it to Magnus and being utterly stunned by the odd shape is possessed. He decided to keep it, casting a spell on it a few days later, just before her birthday to give her a special night light of her own, one that projects the current night sky into any room of her choosing.

Now the city won’t pollute her view, and it’s a view that the family of Alec, Magnus and Madzie will witness for an eternity.

And they wouldn’t have it any other way.

**Author's Note:**

> hope you liked this Nin! happiest of birthdays to you!! and thank you for Yara for giving the draft an early read through! <3


End file.
